This is how special all Nissans will look from now on | Car

The Ariya is Nissan’s answer to cars like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Volkswagen ID4 and Skoda Enyaq. These are tough competitors and so the Japanese brand has gone to great lengths to make this model a success. That was probably not an easy task, because since the Leaf, the brand has made few steps in the field of electric cars. The Ariya was developed together with Renault, but the Mégane E-Tech Electric that is related to the Nissan has to compete with the Volkswagen ID3, and is therefore cheaper.

The Ariya also represents a new visual language and it is very promising, because the all-electric Nissan is a beautiful, futuristic-looking car. Despite the fact that many electric crossovers today look very similar, the Japanese brand has put a lot of effort into making this model something special. The car not only looks modern, but also high-tech and stately. At the rear we see a hint of Range Rover Evoque and that is a compliment. The front, on the other hand, is very unique and therefore the Ariya remains recognizable as a Nissan.

The high, broad shoulder line gives the 4.60-metre-long car a solid appearance and Nissan has placed the company logo prominently on the front and rear. The high-quality appearance is further enhanced by small details such as the hidden window seals and slim LED daytime running lights under the equally thin headlamps. At the rear we see again a slim light bar that connects the two taillights. The flanks are arched to give the car an extra athletic appearance.

On the inside, the Ariya looks minimalistic yet warm. The dashboard has two information screens with which almost everything in the car can be operated. Fortunately, a nice place has been set aside for the volume knob in the center of the dashboard. This prevents you from having to do this via the touchscreen menu. The other push buttons are also nicely concealed. They are incorporated in the ‘wood’ in a BMW iX-like manner. You only see them when they light up and that creates a luxurious look. The only downsides here are the highly reflective dashboard in the windshield and the stain sensitivity to fingers and dust of the black surfaces.

The Nissan is spacious and convinces especially with its space in the rear seat. In the front you would like to pull the steering wheel a little further towards you, but here too there is a lot of legroom and if you are no longer than 1.90 meters you are also fine in terms of headroom, even if you opt for the optional – and partly openable – panoramic roof. Under the dashboard is an almost invisible concealed storage compartment and between the front seats is an electrically adjustable center console with plenty of storage space. You can also charge your phone wirelessly here. The 469 liter luggage compartment is well-shaped and spacious, and there is a low sill and adjustable floor. The trunk of the four-wheel drive versions, on the other hand, is only 416 liters and that is on the tight side for such a large car.

The driving is actually the least special thing about the Ariya. The front-wheel drive car is good-natured and predictable, even when you dive too hard into a corner. Due to the front-wheel drive, you are more likely to suffer from slipping wheels, but on a dry road surface you rarely if ever suffer from it. What this is like during a heavy rain shower remains to be seen, but the electronics will undoubtedly be able to keep that under control. The steering is fine and there is hardly any noticeable driving forces. The brakes also do a great job. Yet the car never gets challenging, despite the fact that there are quite strong versions of the Ariya.

The Ariya barely leans in the corners, but that’s mainly due to the fairly stiff suspension, which has the side effect that the car feels a bit lumpy on cross ridges and other bumps. If you want to drive extra economically, you can choose to have the car brake with extra strong regenerative braking. Unfortunately, with this ‘e-Pedal’ function switched on, the Nissan never comes to a complete stop and that’s a shame, especially once you get used to this way of driving. The Ariya is available with a 63 kWh and 87 kWh battery. Charging is possible at home sockets, at a public charging point with a speed of up to 22 kW and with a fast charger with up to 130 kW.

The price list of the Ariya starts at 48,990 euros. However, that will not be the most wanted version, because the standard delivered 1-phase onboardcharging system is simply outdated. This means that only slightly more than 7 kWh can be charged at an AC charging point, while 11 kWh is now very common. Depending on the chosen battery and the drive system (front or four-wheel drive), the Ariya has a range of 360 to 500 kilometers. In addition to different batteries, the Ariya is available with different engine powers: 218, 242 and 306 hp. The least strong variant is more than sufficient for Dutch traffic. The 1914 kilo car sprints to 100 kilometers per hour in 7.5 seconds and is limited to a top speed of 160 km/h. The faster variants all reach 200 km/h.